Traffic signal



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J RANK ET AL TRAFFIC SIGNAL March 6, 1928.

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Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

Laarne .TOHNVRANKAND HENRY Wi RANK, OF MINNEAPOLS, MINNESOTA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Application filed April 23, 1926. VSerial No. 1%,081

Our present'invention relates to traffic signals of the signal postftype and especially to that type of signalfpost" disclosed and claimed in our prior application Serial No. 54,2%), filed September 3," 1925. The chief objects of the present invention are highV efficiency, durability, ability to stand violent shocks, simplicity of construction and4 reasonably low productionf'cost.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate likepartsthroughout the several Views.

Referring to the drawings: i -V Fig. `1 shows the improved signal post in elevation, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 3*-3 ofFig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1 4 of Fig; 2. y y

` Theinvention is ca able of modifications, but in thel preferred orm illustrated in the drawings, the body of the signal post is formed by, a heavy elastic tube or casing 5. This tubular body Vis ma'de of rubber but preferably rein-forced with fabric, much like the outer casing of a pneumatic tire, and it is of such stiffness that it will maintain itself normally in stiaight'forin. Preferably, the tube is a true cylinder, but it may be varied considerably in form. The lower' portion of this tube, shown, is much thicker `than the upperV portion, and at the junction of the relatively thick and thin portions, there is a stop shoulder or ledge` 6; Said tube, at its lower end, is anchored to the road bed or pavementy and, as illustrated,this is accomplished by substantially the form of anchoring device described and claimed in our pending applii cation Serial` No. 63,995, filed October 21,

1925, and which anchoringdevice comprises an anchoring tube 7 threaded at both ends,

the lower end thereof being screwed into a flanged anchoring base 8 andthe upper end when the nuts on the bolts are tightened, a.

substantially continuous butsectional clamping ring is provided around the lower end of the casing; The numeral 13 indicates a wire conduit oil pipe that leads int-o the anchoring i base from a suitable distant point.

The parts S, 9 and 13 are embedded in the concrete ofi the road bed y. lith this arrangement, the post, as shownin Fig. 2, may bev However,

so far as the present invention is concerned,

the'post may be anchored at its, lower end by any suitable anchoring means.

That portion of the tubular casingv vthat is above the shoulder G is adapted f to contain the signal devices and to have light-emitting passages therein for signal purposes, Yand it is' rein-forced and stiil'ened by a metallicstiffening and reinforcing shell that is preferably in the form of a skeleton. `This skeleton, as shown Vand preferably designed,

is made of upper, lower and intermediate flanged metal spacing plates 14, 15 and 16,1

removed as an entirety. This reinforcing; skeleton or sli'elliquite closely fits the interi or of the upper or relatively thin-walled portion ofthe casing, and when inserted, its lower plate 15 will rest on the shoulder G thereof. Obviously, this reinforcing skeleton, when inserted into the tube, stitleiis and holds the upper portion thereof, but does not interfere with the resilience or elasticity ofV the lowerportion, and the lower' portion of said tube, to wit: that portion that is between its anchored lowerend and its reinforced upper portion, will have suicient tiexibility'or elasticity to permit the post to be turned down to a horizontal position or against the road bed. yThis iiexibiiity will' adapt the post to yield and permit a Vehicle to run over the post without breakingthe same. The post, in its upper portion,`is

formed with various light-emitting passages for' signal purposes. As shown, the post has a light passage 18 in the form of the letter S" and a. light passage 19 to indicate stop, and a light passage 2O in the form of a letter Gr and a cooperating light passage 2l to indicate go, In practice, the light passages 18 and 19 will have red Celluloid oi glass coverings and the light passages 20 and 21 will have green Celluloid or glass covnnd erine's, such as is the standardized custom for the respective stop and go signals.

Rigidly but detachably secured to the upper' end ot the tubular casing 5 is a head in the torni ot a hollow pilot donie QQ, which is parthv telescoped into said tube. Preferably. the lower portion ofi said dome Q2 is directly telescoiied into a n'ietal ring Q3 which. in turn, is directly teleseoped into the upper end of the tube At intervals7 the ring" :2S-l is secured to the upper end ot the tubular easing b v screws il and at intervening intervals. the ring Q3 is secured to thc dome by screws 25, the heads ot which latter are shown as countersunk through openings in the casing. In this way. the pilot dome is detachablY secured to the tubular casing, and when secured, holds the reinforcing skelettin within the upper portion ot the tubular casina'. The pilot. dome is shown as provided with circumterentially spaced light-emittingr passages 2G.

T he present. invention is not` directed particularly to the liht-produeing,r means, but it is in'iportantto note that the plates ll. l5 and 1G atl'ord convenient supports tor sockets 2T into which light bulbs Q8 are swrewed in the Customary waT and at the suitable places.

The light-controllinLr circuits and switches and timing' mechanism constitute no part of the present invention and need not here be considered.

In the post herein described, a resilient or elastic rubber tube not onliv affords a casing.I but the resilient means for supporting the post in an upright position. Moreover, such a tubular casing,r has not oni),Y that resilience required for permitting the post to be bent from vertical to horizontal position. but even the reinforced portion thereof ail'ords a. cushion that will absorb shocks and greatly reduce the strains put upon the inner parts of' the tube. Moreover. the tube is given a verwv simple and neat appearance and the bod)v ol the post has no metallic parts exposed for contact with the vehicle. The tubular casing is of a character to resist. moisture and to protect the interior n'iechanisin from rain and moisture. The post may be painted in anv desired color and is ol such character that it may be rcduced to the smallest possible cross-sectional dimensions and, hence, is extremely well adapted for use, for example, between street car tracks where the clearance is small.

liforeover. the resilient exterior of the tube will not damage or mar a vehicle that might. scrape against the same.

Vilhat we claim is:

l. A self-arighting signal post havingr a tubular body ot elastic non-separable niaterial anchored at its lower end, a sti [lening and reinforcingi shell in the 'form of a metallic skeleton fitted within the upper portion ot' said tubular body and affording a support for lighting means, a portion ot .said tubular body between its anchored lower end and said metal skeleton being: lflexible and adapting the post to be. bent to an approximately horizontal position. said tubulaa bod)v at its stitiencd upper end hav ing lighteniiitin;r passages for signal pur- P0505'.

2. .i self-arighting signal post having a tubular body made ot fabric reinforced rubber. anchored at its lower end7 a stillening shell fitted within the upper portion ot lsaid tubular body and atlordinj; a support for lighting' meansv` said tubular body in its 1e inforced upper portion having light-emittin passages for signal purposes, said tubular body between its anchored lower end and said reinforcing shell being flexible and adapting the post to be bent into an approximately,v horizontal position.

Il. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said still'ening shell is in the forni of a metallic skeleton.

Al. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said still'ening shell is in the form of a metallic skeleton, in further combination with a pilotl dome applied to the upper end ot said tubular bodyv and having light-emit` ting' passages.

:3. The structure defined in claim l in which said tubular body is cylindrical in vtorni and in which the stillening shell within its upper portion is correspondingly formed.

o. 'l`hc structure defined in claim l in which said tubular body is cylindrical in form and in which the stiflening shell within itsl upper portion is correspondingly formed, the said shell and tubular body having light,- einitting passages for signal purposes.

T. The structure defined in claim Q in further combination with a pilot dome applied to the upper end of said tubular body and havingr light-cmitting passages.

ln testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

J OHN RANK. HENRY W. RANK. 

